The English opening batter Zak Crawley has indicated he was not familiar with statements made by skipper Ben Stokes about the team environment as no place for "weak men".
Stokes delivered those words in several conversations in the wake of England's defeat in the second Ashes against the Australians previously.
Ahead of the Adelaide Test, where England are staring at defeat at the earliest opportunity, Stokes noted he had allowed his sentiment to "drift around" within the squad.
"I have completed all the talking over the past two days that I needed to have done," remarked Stokes.
But, following the opener scored 85 on the fourth day in the third Test, he commented: "I didn't see that."
"I didn't see and wasn't really looking out for it. We take everything that is said in the press with some skepticism," Crawley continued.
Raw Conversations and Steady Philosophy
Stokes made the "weak men" comment subsequent to England were beaten in the second Test to go two matches behind.
The team subsequently went on a holiday to a Queensland resort in the gap between the second and third Tests.
Prior to this match, Stokes revealed his players had held "raw" talks and he had urged them to "display some fight" in their effort to remain alive in the series.
Nevertheless, Crawley stated the guidance from Stokes and head coach Brendon McCullum had stayed consistent with their prior three years in leadership.
"The atmosphere has been extremely upbeat, unchanged," said Crawley. "The focus is just trying to be optimistic, play our way, with lots of freedom. We believed we could do an extraordinary feat entering this game."
Australia Close of Historic Ashes Triumph
The opener's wicket on day four came during a decisive triple-strike by Australian off-spinner Nathan Lyon.
The spinner's triple strike in 20 deliveries – he also bowled Brook and Ben Stokes – left England 207-6 in pursuit of a daunting total of 435.
Consequently, the home team need just four more wickets on the final day to secure an insurmountable three-nil lead with three Tests.
Defeat will extend England's drought in this country to 18 Tests and ensure a fourth straight overseas Ashes series loss.
This series will be completed in just eleven days of cricket – after England fell the first two Tests in two and four days each.
The last time 1921, when the Australians completed a series win in England in eight days, has the destination of the urn been determined more swiftly. Australia have also triumphed in 11 days on two other instances in the 21st century.
"It's disheartening," admitted Crawley. "We came here to regain the Ashes and we're facing elimination at this point."
"There will still be significant pride at stake and we will certainly approach it like that," Crawley added.
"It's been difficult. They're a formidable side. It was always going to be tough coming here against them. They entered as the favourites coming in to it have demonstrated their quality."
Ollie Pope's Place In Question
While Crawley's performance in the third Test probably answers doubts about his immediate future in the England team, Ollie Pope looks under immense pressure for his position in the Melbourne Test starting December 26th.
Pope was out for 17 in England's second innings on day four, adding to his modest returns against the old enemy.
Across 16 Ashes innings, the Surrey man has never made a half-century and averages just 17.62.
Only one other English batsman since 1900 – Dennis Amiss – has featured as many times in the top six in the Ashes and returned a poorer average.
But, Crawley said any notion his teammate is under the microscope comes from "the media" – meaning the press – "not inside the camp."
"The squad is fully aware how good of a player he is," added Crawley. "He has had a productive year to be frank."
"He has played several excellent innings. This is noise externally. There is no discussion of that nature on Ollie in the camp," Crawley concluded.
